Montana State University

Montana State University is a large public university that ranks as the biggest school in the state. Established in 1893, the university opened just a few years after Montana became an official state. It operated as the Agricultural College of the State of Montana, but it didn’t take long for the college to change its name. The curriculum that it offered quickly shifted from agricultural programs to programs in other areas that students wanted to study. Though it once operated out of a small high school building, the college later moved to a new location and eventually built a large campus of its own.

U.S. News & World Report and Forbes both rank the university as one of the nation’s top colleges. Also known as MSU and Montana State, the university has a strong reputation for its conversation and environmental programs. Some actually call it the University of Yellowstone because of the number of programs that students do in and around that national park. Its campus is also home to Gallatin College, which is a small junior college that offers two-year degree programs in several areas. MSU has an enrollment of more than 16,000 students.

Special Education Advanced Studies: Applied Behavior Analysis Program

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is a field of study that looks at how the reactions that people have to different things. Those working in this field help patients learn how to associate different types of behaviors and actions with different forms of stimulation. MSU offers an accredited ABA program that can help students meet the requirements for working as an ABA therapist, but it also helps those students get their therapist licenses.

This program features a professional core of classes and a specialization core. The specialization core is worth 18 credits and includes classes like Ethics in Education and Human Services, Applied Behavior Analysis and Data-Based Instruction. Students must also do three internships before they graduate. They can work in different facilities and agencies, but they must do some work with patients. Students receive 15 credits for their internships. MSU requires that students do fieldwork because the university wants students to understand the work they will do in the future.

The College of Education at MSU also offers an Applied Behavior Analysis certificate program for students who already have some experience and those who do not want to complete a full degree. This program features five classes that are worth a total of 15 credits and an internship that is worth five more credits. It will take students between two and three semesters to do enough work to gain full credit for an internship. Montana State University offers this program for distance learning students who live outside of the state.

Montana State University Accreditation Details

MSU has the regional accreditation that allows students to submit the FAFSA each year to see if they qualify for financial aid. Regional accreditation also lets them use that accreditation and transfer credits between two or more colleges. The NWCCU awarded the university its regional accreditation. Montana State also has accreditation for its degree programs in nursing, dietetics, music, education, psychology and other fields.

Montana State University Application Requirements

Around half of all students attending MSU come from other cities across the country. Average incoming students have a grade point average of at least 3.5, and these students scored at least 25 on the ACT or 1230 on the SAT. Knowing this information helps students see their options of getting accepted into the university based on their own grades and test scores.

Undergrads must submit their applications by July 1 to start in the fall, December 1 to start in the spring or May 1 to start in the summer. The university typically updates its application at the beginning of each school year. Students will use the sections on the application to tell the university more about their backgrounds. Students who took more than 30 credits of work at the college level must submit transcripts from those colleges. All other students will submit transcripts from their high schools. The university asks for official transcripts the list the student’s class ranking and cumulative grade point average.

The university will accept students who have a high school GPA of at least 2.5, an ACT score of at least 22 or an SAT score of at least 1540. It will also accept those who graduated within the top 50% of their high school classes. Students only need to meet one of these requirements. MSU also asks that students provide official scores from either the SAT or the ACT after completing the application. The university gives priority to students who followed a college prep curriculum that included English, math, foreign language, life science and social studies classes in high school.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Montana State estimates that Montana resident undergrads will pay around $18,000 a year to enroll on a full-time basis. This figure includes a tuition rate of around $7,100 a year as well as all miscellaneous fees and room and board. Students living with their parents will pay less. Nonresidents pay a little more than $24,000 a year in tuition alone. These students will pay close to $35,000 a year for tuition, room, board and other expenses.

Students attending MSU can receive financial aid, and more than 90% of the university’s students receive and use at least one type of aid every year. The majority of incoming students qualify for grants from the state and federal government and for federal loans. They can also work for the university and receive a regular paycheck. Those taking part in the university’s work-study program generally work around 10 hours a week.

In addition to using the FAFSA, students can also apply for scholarships directly from the university. Scholarships are available for both incoming freshmen and transfer students who earned college credits in the past. One scholarship awards nonresidents with $15,000 in funds each year and allows them to renew the scholarship during all four years they remain full-time students. A resident scholarship allows transfer students to get up to $3,000 a year. Students can apply for scholarships online and find out if they received any of those funds before the next school year starts. Montana State University offers both merit and need-based scholarships for incoming students.

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Welcome to Applied Behavior Analysis Programs Guide, the #1 free online resource for exploring the nation’s best degrees for future behavior analysts. Our mission is to provide expert guidance about the top universities helping students reach their career goals and become board certified. We share real-world information about the ABA field to anyone wishing to work in special education, social work, counseling, rehabilitation, and other helping professions.